COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Thursday, August 9, 2012) – The Colorado Rapids announced on Thursday that Dave Dir, a former MLS head coach with Dallas from 1996-2001 and longtime United States Under-20 National Team assistant coach, has joined the club as an Assistant/Goalkeeper Coach.

“Dave has tremendous experience in MLS and his tactical and technical knowledge is going to help all the players at our club,” said Rapids Technical Director Paul Bravo. “He’ll be helping our technical staff with everything from training to match preparation, and will be working closely with our goalkeepers.”

Dir joins the Rapids immediately and will support Head Coach Oscar Pareja with first team operations and work with the club’s goalkeepers. He replaces David Kramer as the Rapids goalkeeper coach, who left the club to pursue other opportunities.

One of the original MLS head coaches, Dave Dir led the Dallas Burn (now FC Dallas) from 1996-2001, where he won the 1997 U.S. Open Cup and compiled a record of 81-75-4 (W-L-T) in his five seasons. He was the longest serving of all the MLS coaches who started in 1996, the league’s inaugural season. After leaving Dallas, Dir was an Assistant Coach for the U.S. U-20 National Team from 2002-2011, helping in the development of many MLS and United States National Team players. He was most recently serving as the Chief Scout for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2011 and 2012.

Dir also has connections to the Denver area, having been the head coach of the Colorado Foxes in the American Professional Soccer League from 1991-1994, where he coached players including former Rapids Marcelo Balboa and Robin Fraser and won a championship each of his seasons with the team. He was also the men’s soccer head coach at Regis University from 1990-1991.

Originally from the Chicago area, Dir played goalkeeper at Western Illinois University and for the Chicago Sting of the NASL and Colorado Comets of the USISL. In the two years leading up to the inception of MLS, Dir was the Director of Player Development for the league, assembling the player pool for the 10 teams that began play in 1996.

The Rapids will take on FC Dallas this Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. MT at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas, in a match broadcast live on Altitude, Mile High Sports Radio, and ESPN Deportes Radio. The Coors Light Away Game Viewing Party will be hosted at The British Bulldog in downtown Denver and at Connor O’Neill’s Pub in Boulder.